That D—-d Sign Has Got To Go -or- We’re Full Up!

This past week has been a week full of worrisome happenings: a kitten we adopted out has gone walk-about causing major concerns for her new owners; I have had tremendous headaches complete with brain scan to see if there was something amiss there (and it did confirm I do, indeed, have an actual brain); and a dear friend is very, very ill in the hospital.
Today, I saw a cat that has been hanging around the farm duck into Hizzoner’s tractor shed. Carefully, I opened the door. I got a very quick glance at the face of the cat, then spied two smaller versions of said cat. Yup. Lightening does indeed seem to strike twice. A mama-cat moved her kittens in.
I only saw the two kittens and the mom, but we just don’t have room for any more cats. And the shelters are turning away animals here due to over-filled capacity. To top it off, we are people who just can’t ignore them. I did put out some food and drink for the mama. This damned conundrum! I will make sure these guys have food and drink available except at night when the kitty-killers (aka coyotes, skunks, racoons…loose dogs) come around.

Yogi Berra said it right…

“It’s Deja Vu all over again!”

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Happy Birthday to the Bonzo Brothers!

One year ago today, under our front deck/step, a hungry, dusty, very pregnant young cat, abandoned by her humans, delivered her kittens. Young and on her own, not even a year old herself, she raised six beautiful babies, all safe and secure in her well chosen den. About mid-May, two humans not only trapped her, but removed said decking and nabbed her six babies as well. That’s how Mama (aka Daisy May) came to live with us.
And as those kittens grew, we were able to find good homes for all but two of them: Mooch and Rascal.

Happy Birthday, Boys!

I can’t imagine life now without Daisy and the “Bonzo Brothers”, as we affectionately call Mooch and Rascal. They have added to our lives in richness and warmth with their antics and love.

You did good, Mama…

…now will you move so I can have some of my own pillow?

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Mooch has the Right Idea…

It’s been snowing today. We’ve just received about a foot of new snow, but are thankful it isn’t the four feet we got at Christmastime. I don’t think I could take another round like that.
Things have been busy, but somewhat odd around Oleo Acres. Having my Hired-Hand-With-Benefits home is hard to adjust to. He is healing incredibly well but is now getting to the point where he’s getting bored yet he’s still recovering from surgery so he can’t do everything he wants to do. I am stuck somewhere in the middle of enjoying having him home, or beaning him with a frying pan. Take your pick. He hasn’t learned that just because he can’t do things he wants to do is no reason to interrupt my schedule. 😉
One thing I have enjoyed is not having to get up at the crack of Dawn. We’ve actually slept until 7:30 or 8 in the morning! Incredible! the sheep have gracefully adjusted their demands as well. In fact, I have found them all to be sleeping when I head out to feed. What a Lazy Bunch we’ve become. I love it!

As you can see below, Mooch has adjusted quite nicely to the tempo around here. He and his brother, Rascal (seen below brooding behind the loveseat that he can’t have the chair Mooch is in), are now 9 months old and huge! I will try to get some photos of Rascal and his puffy-tail. And Daisy May (aka Mama) is doing fine as well. Her biggest issue is that she wants to sleep on my head at night and I want her to sleep elsewhere. We have had to resort to barriers to our bedroom that allow them to look in, cry and be pitiful while we try to remain in control of our bed and keep cat dander to a minimum.

Mooch in Repose

Frustrated Rascal

Hopefully I can return to blogging more often. The HHWB has been working on his computers. I have, wisely, stayed out of the office and his way even though that means less chance of doing emails, blogging or reading friends’ blogs as well.

But then there’s nothing wrong with a blanket, a comfortable chair, a good book, and a roaring fire in the woodstove. Right, Mooch? Mooch?…Mooch! Darn that cat!

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Mooch and Rascal’s Busy Day

The kittens, Mooch and L’il Rascal, know I’ve been busy getting things straightened up around the house before my HHWB (Hired-Hand-With-Benefits) goes to the hospital.

Apparently, they take their work very seriously as shown below…

Need I say more? I think not. The picture truly is worth the 1,000 words that crossed my mind upon this discovery. Thanks, lads. I appreciate the thought…I think.

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He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother

I walked out into the sunroom today and saw this…Rascal sleeping on top of Mooch. Best of Buds. It doesn’t get better than this. 🙂

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The Kindnesses of Others

I have been amiss in posting lately, for a variety of reasons…mainly due to it being summer and being outside instead of in at the computer. I have a couple of belated “Thank Ewes” to some dear Friends.

Our friends, Steve and Carole, used to be our next-door-neighbors when we lived up the mountain, about 1/4 mile from where we now live. They used to split their time between Phoenix and Flagstaff but have since moved closer to family in Texas. Now they will be here for part of the year, the remainder in the Lone Star State.
They both know of our, er…my affinity for cats. Any loose or stay feline seems to find its way to our door (er, there’s that “my” again!). My “Hired Hand With Benefits”, aka my DH, says there must be a sign that some cat has posted somewhere in the neighborhood much like the Kind-Hearted-Woman signs the hobos used to leave during the Depression announcing where a warm meal could be found. Carole just laughed when the story of the mother cat and kittens under the front step was told to her. This, I’m sure, is Steve and Carole’s perverse sense of humor:

The doormat arrived shortly after the post about finding the little family. And yes, Carole…I have put it in front of the door! 🙂

And Saturday I found a small box in our mailbox when I went up to get the mail. It was from my sheepy-cyber-bud, Michelle. Inside was a pink-sweatered ewe named “Flora” as well as a cup of cherries dried from Michelle’s own tree and Tina’s fabulous “Chocolate Coma Cookie” recipe. We’re supposed to have drier conditions this week so I believe I will just have to make some cookies for myself. The Hired-Hand can have his Tim-Tams from New Zealand. heeheehee

You’ll never know just how much these have cheered me up. It’s been a hectic summer even if we didn’t go to Oregon. Between kitten-sitting, learning I can’t do some of the things I used to before back surgery, and trying to keep things on an even-keel around here these remembrances have made me laugh and given me hugs. Thank you all for your gifts!

Now if I can only find that blasted sign and remove it before any other cat sees it…

NOTE: My DH has pointed out that there must be a connection between me and most of the animals I have. Most all of them are black or some color-form of black shade. Hmm. Could it be something in that Celtic background of mine? I wonder…

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Dora and Pippi Off To Their New Home!

Our friends, Melanie and her hubby, Mark, have taken possession of the two kittens they fell in love with two months ago. A-Dora-ble Dora, the Explorer and her sister, Pippi Longstockings, have gone off to live down the road from us. Bless Mel for keeping me posted on how the girls are doing.
I have known Mel for 20+ years now. She always treats her animals well and is the kind of person who doesn’t take a bond with a pet lightly. Her cats (that I have known) have lived for 18 years or better, at an average. I know Mel considers an animal as a life-long friend and doesn’t take on an animal as a whim. She, and Mark, will give Dora and Pippi the best of their hearts. I couldn’t ask for better.
Even though I know all this, it was hard to see the girls go. They were my favorites. Dora reminded me so much of our caretaker/snoopervisor cat, April. We lost April in ’05 after 19 years. Dora has her same “This is my World and you are here but to serve my every desire! Now fetch me that treat!”

Dora, the Explorer

Pippi is much shyer than her sister, but still can be very loving. And she has the look of wisdom on her face. She knows things…ancient things…secret things.

Miss Pippi Longstockings

The Happy “New” Mom and Dad

The girls are joining a family already consisting of two dogs and two older cats. When Mel’s first report was that Pippi was just scared and shaking while held on Mel’s lap, it was all I could do to stop from running over to bring her home. If it had been anyone else, I would have. But I know Mel will take good care of the girls. I trust her (and Mark) to love them as much as I do(did).

Being close has its advantages…I got to visit with them today! They both seemed to remember me. (Well, OK…it has only been three days) 🙂 It did my heart good to see them ruling the roost – at least while the dogs were outside. And Mel’s old one-eyed cat Fred came in and nuzzled both girls. I think we’ll have to call him “Uncle Fred” now. He seemed to genuinely like the kittens. And they liked him.

So, now we have two kittens left…and if someone fell in love with Daisy May (aka Mama Cat) we’d consider placing her as well. Don’t be alarmed. If we don’t find suitable homes they will be staying with us. We had pretty much decided to keep Daisy. She’s a very friendly cat. She just needs to temper her playing a bit as I do not appreciate her grabbing my hand and mouthing it like she would one of her kittens. This could also be referred to as “biting”. She doesn’t do it hard enough to break the skin, but she’s got to learn to settle down a bit. She comes when called and is really very affectionate. I think she’ll settle down more when she’s stopped nursing her remaining kittens.Right now, the boys may only get a taste of nursing. She tolerated Dora but seems to not let the boys nurse as she did the girls.
And we’ve decided to find a home where both the boys could go together. It’s really been a blessing to have the other kittens go as pairs to keep each other company.

Rascal says: “I’m staying here! I like it right here where I’m appreciated for the Cat that I am. And I like having my brother, Groucho, to boss around. Who needed those girls anyway?”

Don’t worry, Rascal…it would have to be a VERY, VERY special family to be graced by yours and Groucho’s presence. Yessiree…VERY special indeed!

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The Head…and The Heart

Rascal, Moose and Dottie

Today both Dottie and her brother, Moose, went to a new home. The person who came to see the kittens today was a true cat-lover. She had an older cat who was very lonely since his housecat friend had passed a few weeks ago. This person even does Reiki on animals. I liked her very much and know that these two kittens will have a wonderful new home with people who love them. (And she knew that if they didn’t fit in with her family she could bring them back)

Now I know all of this. My Head knew all of this right from the start of finding the little family – that they would be under our care until new, good homes could be found for them.

I just wish it would have told all of that to my Heart…

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Mutant Ninja Kittens

As you can tell from my lack of regular posts lately, things have been a bit busy around Oleo Acres. Oh, the sheep have been fine or rather now are fine that weaning is over. The only interesting thing has been nursing Ole through what I now believe is a reaction to the spray used to keep insect pests away from the sheep. All the other sheep are doing fine, but Ole acts like a guy in an itchy wool suit (pun intended) trying to scratch himself on anything and everything.
I even had “Dr. Rob” come out to see if he could discern Ole’s strange behavior. Rob gave him a steroid injection and an antibiotic, just to be sure, but the itchiness continued until last evening when the little light went on in my brain. The “Hired-Hand-with-Benefits” held Ole while I quickly washed an area on his neck and rinsed it very thoroughly to see if by removing traces of the repellent would alleviate any of the itching problem. This morning it seems to have worked so now I know not to apply anything with pyrethrins in it near or on poor Ole.

As for the rest of my time, it’s been spent trying to keep the house in some order, reassuring older cats we still love them and please don’t pee on things ’cause your stressed (maybe I should start doing the same as MY stress level has definitely hit the higher end of the scale), and keeping 6 kittens and one mother cat from completely taking over the house and holding us hostage.

It hasn’t been easy…

They seem to be everywhere!

And have discovered the Joy of Toilet Paper…

As well as learning how to disembowel a chair and climb inside. Oi!

The good news is that yesterday I took all the kittens in for their first shots and they can now be taken into loving homes! Friends of ours have been taken with both Dora the Explorer and Ringleader of this wee mob, and her sister/cohort in crime, Pippi Longstockings. I know they will be well cared for but I just wonder if these friends know what they are in for…

Naturally, they fell in love with two very smart kittens…Dora especially. That little cat can get out of, over, under, anything between her and what she wants. Hmm…then again…maybe I should just keep my lips sealed and smile. 😉

**NOTE: As of this evening (9 July, Ole is doing much better! He’s now back in with his mates and begging for cookies! I think that’s Life #3 or #4 for Ole. He seems to be the one who can get in, and out, of trouble doing things the other sheep wouldn’t even think about. Maybe he’s a cat in Sheep’s Clothing? 🙂

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I’m Famous!

My name is Rascal. I was named after a cat my human-bean likes named Rascal. He has even blogged about me today! My human-bean mom said I acted alot like Rascal, so that’s why I have this name. I was living with my mom and brothers and sisters in a very small place underneath a front deck. I don’t remember much about that. My mom always told us all to be very quiet when she was hunting ’cause something called a coyote would get us. Or an “owl”, whatever that is. We were very small and it was cold. We would huddle together for warmth. Mom moved us there when she found human-beans who liked cats lived in the house. They were very big and had noisy animals in another thing that looked like a house. The animals made baaing noises and clucking sounds came from there too.

Then one day, we heard Mama meowing for us to be quiet! She was caught in a trap! Very soon, someone was trying to take our house apart! Then something big grabbed us, one by one. The human-bean called “Dad” gave us to another human-bean called “Mom” and she put us in a big box with warm towels in it. They made sure all my brothers and sisters were with me! All six of us!

The next thing we knew, our Mama was there with us! We were all together! Yay! The box-thing was closed up. It had a wire front so we could see out, but we couldn’t get out. We stayed there very quietly. The human-bean called “Mom” gave us food and water. Our Mama was so hungry, she ate it all up! The next day we saw someone called a V-E-T. He said our Mama was “negative” for FeLV and FIP, whatever they were. Then the human-beans moved us into the house into a room of our own! They kept bringing food and water and milk to Mama. We were glad ’cause she was so tired and thin. And she was sniffling in her nose. Then we went to another V-E-T and he said we were all OK. Well, we knew we were all OK…we were together!

So, we’ve been here for a couple of weeks now. We are getting bigger and Mama doesn’t want to feed us much anymore. We like the food the human-bean brings us and we never go hungry anymore. The “Mom” Human-bean said she is going to find us all homes with other human-beans who will love and care for us all our lives! And our Mama won’t ever have to worry about being alone or hungry again! We are so happy now!

We do have to share though. There are five older cats here. Two are very grumpy to us, but the others are trying to take care of us and watch us. They try to play with us too. But sometimes Mama attacks them because she is still trying to protect us even though she knows we’re safe now.

Above is a picture of me and my brother, Moose, and sister, Pippi. We are sleeping in something called a cat-tree. I never saw a tree made out of cats before. We like the nest at the top.

And here’s a picture of my other brothers and sisters playing. I wish we could stay here together furrever, but “Mom” says there are other peepul who may want nice cats in their lives. She said she would promise to be very picky about where we go. We don’t want to leave each other. But, somehow we have learned to trust Mom and Dad. They have never hurt us. They like to pet us to make us purr and they even play with us!
I sure hope I can live up to the other Rascal’s name. He must be a great cat to have me named after him!

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